Urban gardens continue to grow (no pun intended)

Allotments and community gardens have long been a refuge for gardenless city dwellers wanting to grow their own food. But for garden newbies, the commitment and work involved can be daunting; not to mention having to deal with waiting lists and established social dynamics with sharing a piece of land. Meine Ernte (German for My Harvest) rents out vegetable gardens for a season, and takes care of soil preparation and planting. Once the plants start growing, members come in and spend 1-2 hours a week caring for their plants and harvesting their crops. Prior gardening experience isn’t required and a professional is available onsite once a week to answer any questions the amateur gardeners may have, and detailed information on plant care and harvesting is accessible through a members’ area on the company’s website.

Moreover, with the growing awareness of carbon emissions associated with the mass production and transportation of food, the number of individuals who are cultivating at least some percentage of their own produce is expected to increase.

We’ve already reported on the growing number of rooftop restaurant gardens, and urban centers such as New York City have seen more and more individuals looking to grow their own herbs, fruits and vegetables in whatever space they can find. Living, botanical facades aren’t artistic installations anymore (take a look at the work of award-winning artist and research scientist Patrick Blanc) they’re suitable for eating! With innovative concepts such as hydroponic edible wall gardens by Window Farms, Green Fortune and Jungle Walls in Miami, this isn’t such a far-fetched idea as it once was.

hydroponic herb wall garden